Town of Huntertown - Meeting Minutes

Meeting of the Town Council
of Huntertown, Indiana
May 1, 2017 6:00 p.m.
Huntertown Town Hall

A meeting of the Huntertown Town Council was held on
Monday, May 1, 2017 at 6:10 p.m. In attendance were: Council President Mike Aker
and council members Patricia Freck, Gary Grant, Brandon Seifert and Mike
Stamets. Also present were: Clerk-Treasurer Ryan Schwab; Superintendent of
Utilities Don Papai; Derek Frederickson of Engineering Resources Inc.; and Dave
Hawk of Hawk Haynie Kammeyer & Smith. Also in attendance were ten (10) members
of the public, and one (1) reporter. Absent was Huntertown Resource Officer
Brandon Reichart.

Brandon Seifert made a motion to enter into an agreement with Allen
County for payment structure to include an extra 400-feet section of Lima Road
in a previously approved road project. The county has agreed to pay for extra
footage and the town will reimburse the county upon completion of annexation of
the Brownstone development, near this project. Gary Grant seconded. Motion
passed, 5-0.

Rachel Black with the Department of planning services
presented the council with Huntertown Resolution 17-010, a Confirmatory
Resolution for the designation of economic revitalization area No. H-16
application of O’Neal Excavating & Construction Inc. Black said that the company
is moving its facility from Lima Road to Plank Street in Huntertown, a $1.4
million real-estate investment. The Resolution would provide a 5-year property
tax phase-in that would save the business $97,000. The move would create two (2)
new jobs and retain the companies 22 current employees, Black said.

Mike
Aker recessed the meeting at 6:12 p.m. for a public hearing regarding Economic
Revitalization Area designation for O’Neal Excavating & Construction Inc. There
were no public comments. Mike Aker reconvened the meeting at 6:13 p.m.Mike
Stamets made a motion to approve Huntertown Resolution 17-010, a Confirmatory
Resolution application of O’Neal Excavating and Construction Inc. for the
designation of economic revitalization are No. H-16. Patricia Freck seconded.
Motion passed, 5-0.

Mike Aker reported that three candidates for the
vacant Utility Service board position will be interviewed by councilmen Gary
Grant and Mike Stamets on Wednesday, May 3 and that the council will make an
appointment at the May, 15, 2017 meeting. No action was taken.

OLD BUSINESS

Gary Grant made a motion to approve Title VI and
Harassment Policy documents for the town. Patricia Freck seconded. Motion
passed, 5-0.

BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

NONE

COUNCIL REPORTS

Brandon Seifert reported that his
step-son was filming Utility Service Board and Huntertown Town Council meetings
and broadcasting them on Seifert’s Campaign Facebook page through Facebook Live.

Brandon Seifert discussed concerns with construction work at a local
business being undertaken without proper permits. Seifert also reported that
other business owners in the area are concerned about a bar moving into the
location and suggested to the council limit the number of bars in Huntertown. No
action was taken.

Patricia Freck reported that she and Mike Stamets had
a meeting with Mike Hawk of Hawk, Haynie Kammeyer & Smith, Derek Frederickson of
Engineering Resources Inc. and Christopher Folland, to discuss ransomware and
security issues facing the town. Freck said that Folland is putting together a
plan that includes routine web posting, new web pages, a new web domain and
improved IT security for the town. Freck presented the council with an updated
services agreement with Folland to provide website and IT services for the town.
Council members wanted to compare the new agreement to a previous agreement. No
action was taken.

Mike Aker asked Dave Hawk to look into the steps
required to stagger terms and create districts for the Huntertown Town Council
seats prior to the next election. No action was taken.

REPORTS

Huntertown Resource Officer Brandon Reichert was absent.

Clerk-treasurer Ryan Schwab had no report.

Superintendent of Utilities
Don Papai reported: * Two quotes were received for mosquito control.
Gary Grant made a motion to hire Arab Pest Control at $1,750 per spray for
mosquito control. Patricia Freck seconded. Motion passed, 5-0. Patricia
Freck told Papai that three lawns along Hunter Street had high grass. Mike
Aker asked Papai about potholes and Papai said town employees are taking care of
potholes that are being reported.

Derek Frederickson with Engineering
Resources Inc. reported: * He has put together information about the
wastewater treatment plant project to include on the town’s website. No action
was taken. * Stormwater from the first and second section of the
Preserves of Carroll Creek West Development will be directed to the south into
the Pine Hills detention basin and away from the northwest corner of the
property, greatly reducing the drainage area that ends up in the northwest
corner of the property. * Frederickson asked the council to consider
working with the Huntertown Utility Service Board to adopt an ordinance that
allows the Town to recover engineering review fees from the applicant/developer
to help offset the cost of on-call engineering services. Patricia Freck and
Brandon Seifert volunteered to be a part of a committee. No action was taken.

Frederickson introduced Jeff Thomas, 1020 E. Dupont Road, to talk to the
council about two topics. * Thomas informed the council that an
entrance to his company’s subdivision, the Preserves of Carroll of Carroll Creek
West, was being planned at Hand Road. Thomas said the Allen County Highway
Department does not want sidewalks on Hand Road and is hoping to get that
requirement waived from the project. Thomas said he is also attempting to get
the speed limit on Hand Road reduced from 55 mph to 40 mph. Thomas also reported
that the development will connect to Pine Hills Church as well as the stop light
near Carroll High School with walking paths. * Thomas reported that
the Gump Road entrance of the Whisper Rock addition has had flooding issues and
asked the town for some asphalt patch to alleviate the flooding. Town Attorney
Dave Hawk said that since the road is owned by Allen County, the county should
be asked to take care of the issue. No action was taken.

Dave Hawk of
Hawk Haynie Kammeyer & Smith reported: * Hawk asked the council to
approve Huntertown Resolution 17-011, a Resolution designating certain
right-of-way strictly for underground or buried utilities. Hawk said the
resolution would protect the town’s subdivisions from the installation of
small-cell structures (cell towers). After no further discussion, Gary Grant
made the motion and Patricia Freck seconded. Motion passed, 5-0. * He
contacted Steve Carter of Carter, Dillon, Umbaugh LLC about providing the town
with the fiscal plan for the annexation of the Brownstone Development. Hawk said
the estimated cost of service was $4,500. No action was taken.

Patricia
Freck reported that she received two separate utility bills in the mail this
month. Resident Betty Lavachek reported the same thing, although Lavachek said
she couldn’t read one of her bills.

PUBLIC COMMENTS

Sara Blosser, a resident at 15513 Hulda Drive, asked the council about the
town’s rules and regulation on containing chickens on town property. Blosser
said that her neighbors’ chickens are walking onto her property. Gary Grant
asked Town Attorney Dave Hawk to work on an ordinance.

Gary Grant made a
motion to adjourn. Patricia Freck seconded. All in favor.

Next Council
meeting of the Huntertown Town Council is Monday, May 15, 2017 at 6:00 p.m.